Cementing bracket



Nov. 18, 1941. NICHOLS I 2,263,364

CEMENTING BRACKET Filed Oct. 25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Nov. 18,1941 UNITED STATE CEMENTING BRACKET George Albert Nichols, Okmulgee,kla., assignor to Sadie A. Butler, Okmulgee, Okla.

. Application October 23, 1939, Serial No. 300,884

7 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well casingelevators and primarily seeks to provide a novel cementing brackettherefor.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel form of well casingelevator wherein is provided means for gripping the well casing beneaththe top coupling thereof to thereby avoid the imposition of stresses inthe coupling until the next section of easing has been screwed into thecoupling and tightened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterstated which includes a novel form of open center cementing bracketcarried by the elevator and which is operatively connected to the slips.

Another object of the. invention is to provide a device of the characterstated which includes spaced lifting links, bail-connected andweightoverbalanced hooks pivotally mounted on the respective links andautomatically disengageable from the cementing bracket as the elevatoris lowered to the initial casing-engaging position to thereby allow theslips to grip the casing as the elevator is slightly raised.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacterstated in which the lifting links and their associated bracket-engaginghooks are so formed and disposed as to provide adequate space over thecasing end for connection with a cementing plug container or any othertype of cementing connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterstated in which the cementing bracket is provided with a plurality ofelements manually adjustable to render the bracket properly engageablewith casing sections of different diameters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterstated which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economicalto manufacture. With these and other objectsin view which will morefully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearlyunderstood by following the description, the appended claims, and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a casing elevator and cementing bracketconstructed in accordance with the invention and showing the stationaryslips surrounding the well casing.

Figure 2'is an enlarged side elevation of the elevator and bracket,partly in central vertical section, and showing the slips in casingengaging position.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the slips in the raised,casing freed position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44'of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing thebail-connected hooks in the disengaged position.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view illustrating the cementingbracket.

Figure 7 is a detail vertical cross section through a portion of thecementing bracket, the section being taken on the line 'l-'| on Figure4, and illustrates the relative positions of the guide dogs to thebracket.

The invention herein disclosed is embodied in a well casing elevator andcementing bracket structure, and provides certain new and usefulimprovements in and advantages over well casing elevators of the typedisclosed in the U. S. Letters Patent 1,598,709, issued toCharles A.Butler on September '7, 1926.

In the practice of drawing well casings it is customary to providecasing holding means supported by a suitable base surrounding the well.The casing holding means thus employed include a base 5 provided with acentrally disposed aperture through which passes the well casingindicated at 6. The casing is adapted to be supported by a plurality ofslips or gripping devices I functioning in the well known manner.

The well casing elevator and cementing bracket structure embodied in thepresent invention includes a base ring or annulus 8 provided with a pairof diametrically opposed outwardly extending projections 9 havinghorizontal slots l0 adapted to receive the lower ends of a pair oflifting links H. The open ends of the slots ID are adapted to be closedby stop blocks [2 secured therein by bolts [3. The upper ends of thelinks H are engaged by the usual swivel- I mounted lifting hookgenerally indicated at I4 and operated through the medium of any suit-.

able hoisting equipment, not shown.

The base ring 8 is provided with a central tapering bore l5 adapted toreceive the tapering walls of a plurality of slips It. The inner face ofeach slip I6 is vertically disposed and is provided with a plurality oftooth elements ll adapted to bite into the well casing to securely holdthe same.

The slips l6 are provided with interengaging and sliding tongue andgroove connections generally designated l8 to thereby maintain the slipsin horizontal alignment to effect an even gripping of the well casingwhen the elevator is disposed downward-inward movement of the slips It,but at the same time prevent the slips from becoming totallydisconnected from the base ring 8.

The slip projections I9 are also provided with horizontally disposedopenings for receiving mounting bolts ii for pivotal connection with thelower ends of upwardly extending links 22. The upper ends of the links22 are pivotally connected to a cementing bracket, generally designated23 in Figures 3 and 6.

The cementing bracket 23 includes an annular ring 24 having a centralaperture 25 and which is provided with a pair of diametrically opposedand outwardly extending arms 23 having transversely disposed projections2'! formed thereon for pivotal connection with upper end portions of twosets of the links 22. The ring is also provided with a second pair ofdiametrically opposed arms 28, having transverse portions 29 disposedsimilarly to those on the arms 23 for connection with the upper endportions of the remaining links 22, and including additionally extendedarm portions 33 provided with hook-receiving apertures 3| for a purposeto be hereinafter described. See Figures 3 and 6.

The cementing bracket ring 23 is also provided with a plurality ofoutwardly and downwardly extending housings 32 which are open at theinner sides. See Figures 4, 6 and 7. Each housing 32 contains a dog 33pivotally mounted therein at its lower end on a pivot shaft 34 andhaving its upper end projectable into the central aperture 25 of thecementing bracket ring 24. The upper end of each dog 33 is provided withan inwardly turned hook-like portion 36 adapted to engage over the upperrim portion of the coupling sleeve on the well casing when the device isdisposed in operative position. The dogs 33 are manually projectedtoward the center of the bracket ring through the medium of adjustingscrews 31 threadably engaged in the housings 32 and having their innerends abutting the outer faces of the respective dogs. The dogs 33 aremaintained in contact with the ends of the adjusting screws through themedium of coil springs 38 formed around the pivot shafts 34 and sodisposed as to constantly urge the dogs outwardly against the ends ofthe adjusting screws 31.

The cementing bracket 23 is oriented with respect to the elevator basering 8 so that the extended portions 30 of the arms 28 project betweenthe spaced upright bar portions of the respective lifting links II withthe hook-engaging apertures 3I disposed outwardly of said links.

The arm extensions 33 are adapted to be engaged by a pair of hooks 39pivotally mounted on brackets 40 secured to the respective lifting linksII. Each hook is provided with an angularly extending weighted arm 4|disposed in such a manner that it constantly tends to urge or rotate thehook 39 away from the vertical, operative or load supporting position.The hooks 33 are connected by a bail 42 extending outside the links I Ito thereby assure movement of the hooks in unison.

In the normal operation of the well casing elevator and cementingbracket herein described, the bail-connected hooks 33 engage the armextensions 30 through the apertures 3I and support the slips I6 in theposition shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. It will be readily apparentthat when the elevator and cementing bracket is in this position, it canbe lowered over the upper end of the well casing 6 which is supported bythe slips 1 in the stationary base because in this condition of theparts, the slips I6 are held elevated out of engagement in the bore andout of contact with the casing which they surround. The device is thenlowered over the well casing 6 until the upper end of the easing isengaged by the inwardly projecting hook portions 36 of the dogs 33,which engagement stops the downward movement of the cementing bracket23. Continued downward movement of the hook assembly relative to thebracket ring 23 allows the link-carried and bail-connected hooks 39 tohave a slight hook freeing movement relative to the arm extensions 30,and the weighted arms of the hooks 39 and the bail 42 will cause thehooks to swing in unison and become disengaged from the arm extensionapertures 3 I. Then an upward movement of the hook assembly I4 willcause the links II to move the base ring 8 upwardly, and the taperedbore I5 thereof will engage the tapered outer faces of the slips I3moving relatively downwardly on the bolts 23 and cause the same to moveinwardly to effect a firm gripping of the well casing. It will bereadily apparent that continued upward movement of the links I I at thistime will result in the raising of the well casing 6.

After the casing 6 has been raised the desired distance, the cablesupporting the links II is lowered and the-slips I in the stationarybase 5 will support the casing in the raised position. Thebail-connected books 33 are then engaged through the apertures 3| andthe hook assembly I3 is raised to cause the cementing bracket 23 and thelinks 22 to lift the slips I6 whereupon engagement of the projections I9with the diverging guide bolts 20 serves to spread or separate the slipsI5 and free them from the casing 6, at which time the whole device,including the base ring 3 can be raised.

When the device is to be used for cementing purposes, the well casing 6is engaged in the manner heretofore described, see Figure 2 for example,and then a cementing plug container 7 generally indicated at 43, or anyother type of cementing connection, may be screwed into the top couplingof the casing while the casing is suspended on the elevator. It shouldbe observed that the casing-engaging dogs 33 are so formed that the hookportions 36 thereof engage over only the rim portion of the casing tothereby provide a fully open central casing aperture for connection withthe cementing plug container 43.

It should be noted that the dogs 33 are manually adjustable in a radialdirection. The adjustable mounting of the hook portions or dogs 33enables adjustments of the parts to be effected for attaining accuracyof contact of the hooks 38 and also for properly engaging differentsizes of well casings. The dogs can be adjusted to properly engagedifferent sizes of well casings through a limited range without changingthe slips H, and attention is directed to the fact that the links 5 Iare removably secured attheir lower ends to the base 8, and it is asimple matter to replace the base with a base having a selected size ofopening I5 and slip complement.

Thus it will be seen that the herein described invention provides anovel Well casing elevator and cementing bracket in which adequate spaceis provided for connection with cementing apparatus, in which thecasing-engaging dogs of the cementing bracket are adjustable for use inconjunction with well casings of various sizes,

and which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical tomanufacture.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure andarrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A well casing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, gripping devices engageable with a well casing andvertically movable in said bore, an annular ring supporting saidgripping devices, suspension means for said annular ring and by whichsaid ring may be lifted and lowered, suspension means for said base andby which said base can be lifted and lowered, means carried by saidannular ring and engageable with the peripheral rim portion of a wellcasing for limiting downward movement of the ring relative to saidcasing, and means for automatically disengaging said annular ring fromits suspension means when the upper end of the well casing is engaged bysaid casing engaging means during downward movement of said base aroundthe well casing.

2. A well casing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, gripping devices engageable with a well casing andvertically movable in said bore, an annular ring supporting saidgripping devices, suspension means for said annular ring and by whichsaid ring can be lifted and lowered, suspension means for said base andby which said base can be lifted and lowered, means carried by saidannular ring for engagement with the peripheral rim portion of a wellcasing for limiting downward movement of the ring relative to saidcasing and manually adjustable for engagement with casings of differentdiameters, and means for automatically disengaging said annular ringfrom its suspension means when the upper end of the well casing isengaged by said casing engaging means during downward movement of saidbase around the well casing.

3. A well casing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, gripping devices engageable with a well casing andvertically movable in said bore, an annular ring supporting saidgripping devices, suspension means for said annular ring and by whichsaid ring may be lifted and lowered, suspension means for said base andby which said base can be lifted and lowered, means carried by saidannular ring and engageable with the peripheral rim portion of a wellcasing for limiting downward movement of the ring relative to saidcasing and including a plurality of adjustable dogs having inwardlyextending casing rim-engaging portions, and means for automaticallydisengaging said annular ring from its suspension means when the upperend of the well casing is engaged by said dogs during downward movementof said base around the well casing.

4. A well casing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, gripping devices engageable with a well casing andvertically movable in said bore, an annular ring supporting saidgripping devices, suspension means for said annular ring and by whichsaid ring may be lifted and lowered, suspension means for said base andby which said base can be lifted and lowered, said annular ring having aplurality of outwardly and downwardly extending housings, adjustabledogs pivotally mounted within said housings and provided with inwardlyextending hook portions en- ILL) gageable over peripheral rim portionsof well casings of different diameters to stop downward movement of theannular ring, and automatically operable means effective for disengagingsaid annular ring from its suspension means when the upper end of thewell casing is engaged by the inwardly extending hook portions of saiddogs during downward movement of said base around the well casing.

5. A well casing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, gripping devices engageable with a Well casing andvertically movable in said bore, an annular ring supporting saidgripping devices, suspension means for said base and by which said basecan be lifted and lowered, said annular ring having a plurality ofoutwardly and downwardly extending housings, adjustable dogs pivotallymounted within said housing and provided with inwardly extending hookportions engageable over peripheral rim portions of well casings ofdifferent diameters to stop downward movement of the annular ring,suspension means for said annular ring and by which said ring may belifted and lowered and comprising automatically operable overbalancedhooks supplied on said base suspension means and effective fordisengaging said annular ring from its suspension means When'the upperend of the well casing is engaged by the inwardly extending hookportions of said dogs during downward. movement of said base around thewell casing,

6. A well casing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, gripping devices engageable with a Well casing andvertically movable in said bore, an annular ring supporting saidgripping devices, suspension means for said annular ring and by whichsaid ring may be lifted and lowered, suspension means for said base andby which said base can be raised and lowered, said annular ring having aplurality of outwardly and downwardly extending housings, adjustablescrew-projected, spring-returned dogs pivotally mounted within saidhousings and provided with inwardly extending hook portions engageableover peripheral rim portions of well casings of different diameters tostop downward movement of the annular ring, and automatically operablemeans effective for disengaging said annular ring from its suspensionmeans when the upper end of the well casing is engaged by the inwardlyextending hook portions of said dogs during downward movement of saidbase around the well casing.

7. A wellcasing elevator including a base having a tapering boretherethrough, lifting links adapted to support the base, a hook passingthrough the upper ends of said links, means for raising and loweringsaid hook, a plurality of gripping devices fitting within the bore ofsaid base and having their outer faces tapered to correspond with saidbore, an outwardly extending projection carried by the upper end of eachgripping device, guide bolts carried by said base and passing throughsaid projections and disposed parallel to the plane of the adjacenttapered portion of said bore, and an annular ring connected to saidgripping devices through the medium of a plurality of depending links,said annular ring being detachably connected to said lifting links by apair of bail-connected hooks respectively mounted on said lifting linksand engageable with and disengageable from said ring.

GEORGE ALBERT NICHOLS.

